So, I'm writing my first post right now and honestly, I'm feeling pretty welcome here already. I just moved in to this weirdly shaped space in a 150-year-old house and well, I'm not sure really how to apply what I've learned from a year of lurking here and at a couple other recording forums. I've got a DIY-bedroom "studio" vibe going here, and the only thing I'm really concerned about is how to best setup my room. I feel reasonably confident with building and mounting 703 panels/traps as needed, but wrapping my head around this three-dimensional space is driving me crazy.
A few pieces of information before I continue: Walls are old style lath and plaster construction and not all square to each other. Messing around with reconstructing them is definitely not a possibility. Fortunately, noise should not be a substantial issue. This space will be used to record guitars (sm57), male vocals (mainly via dynamics), keyboards/synths, and the occasional bass guitar (I'll likely just use DI), either by one or two performers. I am accepting of a good degree of amateurism/lo-fi aesthetic to these recordings. While this room doubles as a living space, that's basically just a bed at this point for necessary non-gear items.
I am currently inhabiting the room depicted in the sketches attached (dimensions are rough). For ease of discussion with this awkward space, I have labeled three regions of the room with letters A, B, C. (Region A is next to the door into the room, B is the section with the two windows, and C the remaining space, excluding the closet). All ceiling slopes begin at or just under 6 feet, reaching 8 at the apex.
Alright, here's my questions. Thanks in advance for advice.
1. Can anyone predict the general impact of my wacky ceiling and floorplan on my room? Am I totally nutters to think that this might not end up being that horrible?
2. Where and in what orientation should voices/amplifiers be in this room? (B or C)
3. I am planning on mixing with a combination of headphones and monitors. True symmetry seems basically
impossible, but what's the guess for where I should place the monitors?
4. Where should the bed go? It fits lengthwise in 'A', sticking out a foot or two with some space on the side. It fits exactly crosswise up against the window in 'B', with about two feet of space extra near the mouth of the section.
5. For a given answer to questions 2 and 3, do you think of any particular deviations from recommended treatment practices? As I get recommendations, I can respond with my initial treatment plans.
This post duplicated elsewhere for crowdsourcing purposes. Thanks again.
-Morgan
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You sure know hot to pick 'em, don't you? :) That's a complicate shape...
wrapping my head around this three-dimensional space is driving me crazy.
It's actually four-dimensional: sound happens in the time domain, too... :) (Just when you thought it couldn't get any more complicated....
3. I am planning on mixing with a combination of headphones and monitors. True symmetry seems basically
impossible, but what's the guess for where I should place the monitors?
Actually, symmetry is possible! :) Not perfect, but still usable. Set up your "control room" section in "B", facing the two windows. That's your best shot.
Am I totally nutters to think that this might not end up being that horrible?
Being totally nutters is actually the most basic requirement for a studio builder: nobody in their right min would attempt to do what we try to do! So you are fully qualified now.
But to answer your question: Yes, I do think it can work out.
2. Where and in what orientation should voices/amplifiers be in this room? (B or C)
I would use "C" as the "live room" part of the studio. Gobos, treatment, and it will be good. I would also use "A" for the "vocal booth" section, as that gets you about as far away from "C" as you can get, but still with good sight lines.
5. For a given answer to questions 2 and 3, do you think of any particular deviations from recommended treatment practices? As I get recommendations, I can respond with my initial treatment plans.
Set up your "control room" in "B" firstly, using the standard layout, and treat that accordingly, then test with REW to see how it is doing. Checkboard absorption panels on the walls of the live room section, and kill the walls of the "vocal booth" section, with thick insulation. That would be one way of doing it.
This post duplicated elsewhere for crowdsourcing purposes.
Careful when you do that! Crowds are not noted for being particularly smart... :) Especially when it comes to acoustics! There's an awful lot of "crowd" members who couldn't tell a Hass Kicker form getting their ass kicked, even if their lives depended on it! Lots of myth and plain old garbage floating around in the "crowd" too. Not to mention the snake oil guys, who want to sell you their magical materials...
If I wanted to learn about the current football rankings, or find good places to eat, crowd-sourcing is a real option. But not so much for the science of acoustics! Acoustics equations won't change based on a popularity vote...
Yeah, I get that meant you posted on other sound-related forums, but you only have to take a look at the posters and posts on some of those to realize that they might not be the most valuable source of valid acoustic advice on the planet... :) You can't do science by popular vote!
- Stuart -
- Stuart -
Thank you for the response! Treatment plans for the space are well underway and hopefully I will be building and mounting this week.
I'm at the point where the cocked heads and quizzical looks of housemates and friends as I tell them what I have planned for my room no longer surprise me, although to be fair they never should have. I think the best interaction was one excitedly suggesting that we get some old mattresses and egg cartons.
I couldn't agree more about the prevalence of poor information in the music world in general. I feel like most of my knowledge gained from the various places I've lurked is how easy it is to waste time and money making things worse with inappropriate solutions or inventing problems to "fix". Add in a heavy science component, and acoustics is terrifying. Hopefully I can get this room a bit more flattish without too much trouble.
My posts elsewhere were indirectly targeting the advice of a few places and names I've come to trust through their work in educating the public. The thought of making additional demands on their time (usually the almighty search function answers all) made me feel somewhat awkward, and so rather than ask for specific forum members I asked my questions very carefully. At least this time, my attempt succeeded everywhere in that only those who could reliably help me answered.
Thanks again,
Morgan
